SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Mayor Ed Lee said Monday he was horrified as he watched violent fan confrontations at a weekend NFL preseason football game between the archrival 49ers and the Oakland Raiders.
Lee attended Saturday's game at Candlestick Park in San Francisco with Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, and both witnessed the brawling firsthand as spectators.
"They were just constantly wailing at each other without regard to who was there," Lee said of the fans. "This is a family outing, for residents and visitors and people who want to see the game, not for people to look for people they don't like, then saying bad words, then getting into it."
Lee said he was working with police and the 49ers to review footage of the fights and help identify people involved. He commented on the melee while campaigning for mayor in San Francisco's Chinatown.
Meanwhile, two men who were initially listed as seriously injured in the violence have been upgraded to fair condition by a hospital.
One of the victims, a 24-year-old man who reportedly was wearing a T-shirt reading "F--- the Niners," was shot several times in the stomach. Police said he managed to make it to stadium security for help despite the injuries.
The other victim whose condition was upgraded is a 26-year-old man who was beaten unconscious in an upper level stadium restroom during the fourth quarter.
Another shooting victim was treated after receiving superficial facial wounds after the game.
Police did not release the name of any victims. No arrests have been made.
Investigators were searching for suspects and interviewing witnesses, said Officer Albie Esparza, a San Francisco police spokesman.
Police also were seeking motives in the shootings, including whether the attacks were influenced by emotions involving the annual Battle of the Bay exhibition game or possibly gang connections.
The shootings evoked memories of the near-fatal beating in March of a San Francisco Giants fan outside Dodger Stadium. The Giants and Dodgers baseball teams also are fierce rivals.
Esparza said police are still looking for a person of interest connected to at least one of the shootings at the football game. He would not specify which shooting.
The crimes previously prompted Lee and Quan to issue a joint statement condemning the violence and saying it will not be tolerated at stadiums in either city.
"The incidents ... are completely unacceptable and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," the mayors said. "Fans come to our stadiums to enjoy an afternoon of football, not to be subjected to intimidation or violence."
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello echoed similar concerns on Sunday, saying "we deplore the activities of a handful of fans at last night's game and pledge our full support to Mayors Lee and Quan and to state and local law enforcement agencies."
49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, who once was a coach in the Raiders organization, said he was saddened to hear about the violence.
"I feel bad for the people who got injured and the people who had to see that, for those who had to witness it," Harbaugh said.
Raiders CEO Amy Trask also said the incidents were not acceptable to the Raiders or to any National Football League team and "our thoughts are with all affected."
